| Page 168

Sprinkle, Drizzle, Dip, & Spread

Posted on October 1, 2012 by kissmybroccoli

Hey guys!

Happy Monday!

Happy October! <- Whoa! How did THAT happen?!

But more importantly…

Happy Foodie Pen Pal Reveal Day!!

A big THANK YOU to Lindsay for all the hard work she puts into this program each and every month! And hey, how about that sweet new button Calee created!

Love…IT!

This month I was paired up with a blog reader, Gin, from Ohio and I have to say she did a darn good job picking out my goodies:

I was so excited to see my box was filled with unique local items! I received a packet of spicy dry rub mix, a baby jug of pure maple syrup, some cranberry honey mustard, and the CUTEST little tin of peach honey spread.

#tinythingsarecute

The rub has been sprinkled on everything from roasted veggies, to grilled chicken, to scrambled eggs…it has an amazing smoky flavor that I just can’t get enough of!

My Sweet Potato Pie Pancakes claimed the debut drizzle of syrup…

And I’ll give you two guess as to how I ended up eating the mustard 😉

It says “honey mustard” but I swear it tastes like a fruity cocktail sauce…forget the celery, I need some shrimp!

But the best? Well of course I saved that for last…

Toasty bagel + goat cheese + peach honey = HEAVVVVVVEN!

I’m sure that jar was meant to have something around the line of 4 or 5 servings, but I’ll admit, after breakfast the other day, there’s only a small spoonful left!

Oops? 😉

Thank you SO MUCH for everything, Gin…I loved it ALL!

As for the recipient of MY foodie package, Ashleigh, a new mother and blog from North Carolina, welcomed this lovely haul:

I think I got a little carried away! 😉

Through our email exchange, I knew she liked a mix of sweet, salty, and crunchy as well as a fine admiration for chocolate, hazelnuts, and black tea…

So I packed up some of my favorite snacks that I thought she might enjoy, including my coveted orange date nut honey jelly (I’ll be honest, it was hard letting that go!), a variety of bars, some pumpkin spice, chocolate, and chai tea (with some Stevia for her to try), and well, it only made sense to throw in some Justin’s chocolate hazelnut butter!

But believe it or not, there was still room left in the box after all that!

Of course, I couldn’t resist adding a little something extra…

I think she earned it! 😉

While she wasn’t able to type up a guest post, she did send me a lovely email the weekend after she received her goodies…

“Heather, I just wanted to say THANK YOU for my goodie box. I shared everything with my family too and my dad ate all the plantain chips if that tells you anything. LOL I really enjoyed the almond and coconut bar it was the shizznit. The Justin’s Hazelnut butter was also fabulous spread on top of walnut browines. I have not tried the chocolate tea yet but its nice and rainy this evening an it with some lavender bubble bath sounds divine. Lavender is my fav. So that was very much so appreciated!! :-)”

So there ya have it…another INCREDIBLE Foodie Pen Pal experience!

Wanna join in on next month’s fun?

Here are some deets:

-On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email-
-You have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail-
-On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received-
-The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things-
local food items or even homemade treats!
-Spending limit is $15-
-Open to blog readers AS WELL as bloggers-
-For US & Canadian residents only-

Try it for a month, if it’s not your thing, there’s no commitment! But I’m pretty sure you’ll be hooked just like me!

What is your favorite jam/spread?

Any exciting tales from this weekend?
I was on call this weekend, and ended up getting called in (Boo!), but I still managed to get in a couple of good workouts, scored some AWESOME deals at the supermarket (more on that later), and watched a bit more Netflix than I care to admit! 😉

Posted in Breakfast, Foodie Pen Pal, Snacks | Tagged cheese, goat cheese, mail, maple syrup, mustard, pancakes, snacks | 39 Comments

The Coffee Dilemma

Posted on September 30, 2012 by kissmybroccoli

Buon Giorno!

Happy Pancake Sunday my lovelies!

A couple of weeks ago, after a chilly morning at the farmer’s market, I returned home with a perfectly dunkable cookie. It only made since that I got my first coffee craving in months so I decided to go with it and indulge in a warm steamy mug. Without any thought to the fact that it had been nearly TWO MONTHS since my last date with dear ol’ Joe, I brewed up a cup and got my dunk on!

The flavor was just how (if not better than) I remembered it…smooth yet strong, rich and nutty. Somehow, I managed to savor that single mug far longer than any from my past and when it finally came time for that last sip, I’ll admit, it was bittersweet.

Less than an hour later…

I felt like I was having a heart attack.
Nervousness…heart palpitations…cold sweats?

What? No! How could this be?! Before I started having my morning ACV cocktail, my relationship with coffee was practically religious…each and every day…at the very least, a single cup was enjoyed. How could I deny all those mornings where I was gently awakened by the robust flavor running over my palate, instantly bringing a smile to my face as it warmed me from the inside out…

What could this possibly mean for the upcoming winter?!

So I got to thinking…there had to be a way…a way to satisfy my taste for coffee without leaving me wanting to peel my face off. With Sunday right around the corner, obviously you know where most of my thoughts were pointed…so I guess this really should come as no surprise.

Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce to you…

Tiramisu PROTEIN Pancakes!

Light and fluffy protein pancakes FULL of coffee flavor, layered with a sweet “cream” filling and dusted with just the right amount of cocoa powder.

Tiramisu Protein Pancakes

By: Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10-12 minutes

Keywords: blender fry breakfast high protein no sugar added low-sodium protein powder oats coffee bananas Pancake Sunday Italian winter summer spring fall

Ingredients (Serves 1)

For the Pancakes

1/3 cup rolled oats
1 scoop (30g) vanilla protein powder*
2 Tablespoons ground flax seed
1/2 teaspoon sodium-free baking powder
1 egg white
1/4 cup strong brewed cold coffee
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon coffee extract

For the Sweet “Cream” Filling

1/3 cup low-fat no-salt-added cottage cheese
1/2 large banana
1/8 teaspoon coffee extract
unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting

Instructions

For the Pancakes

1. Heat a non-stick skillet or pancake griddle over medium heat.
2. In a small food processor or blender, ground oats into flour.
3. Combine oat flour, protein powder, ground flax, and baking powder in a bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk egg white until frothy.
5. Add coffee and extracts to egg white, stir and add to dry ingredients.
6. Stir until flour is incorporated.
7. Let batter sit at least 5 minutes before continuing.
8. Spoon batter onto skillet surface, forming 3 medium-sized pancakes.
9.Cook 5-6 minutes per side, or until golden brown with crisp edges.

For the Sweet “Cream” Filling

Combine cottage cheese, banana, and extract in a small food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

*Originally, I tried the recipe with chocolate protein powder, but unfortunately the chocolate covered up the taste of the coffee…which of course was NOT my point!

The banana has only the faintest taste beneath the flavor of the coffee extract and lent the perfect amount of sweetness to the creamy layer between the cakes.

Dare I say, it was bordering richness?

Nutrition stats on the left are for the pancakes only…the right includes the
sweet “cream” filling which you really wouldn’t want to go without:

I’m sorry, does that say 46g of protein? Why, yes…yes it does! 😀

Everything you love about classic Tiramisu…

Well, except for all the saturated fat, simplex carbohydrates, and oh yeah…an obscene amount of sugar!

But the best part?
I got my coffee “fix” without feeling like I was coming out of my skin! 😀

Do you like the flavor of coffee?

Are you sensitive to the effects of caffeine?

Posted in Breakfast, Pancake Sunday | Tagged coffee, cottage cheese, pancakes, protein, protein powder | 72 Comments

Foodie Friday

Posted on September 28, 2012 by kissmybroccoli

When I saw this survey on Laura’s post yesterday, I couldn’t help myself…

BREAKFAST
1. Favorite cereal as a child?

Hands down, I was seduced by the Leprechaun…
Anyone else try to pick up the marshmallows with the back of your spoon?

2. Coffee or Tea? With milk or without?

This is so weird for me to say…coming from a former coffee addict, but nowadays, I’ve actually found myself craving tea more and more, but you can forget the milk…just hand me some cinnamon!

3. The one food you eat most often at breakfast?

Although lately I’ve been practically LIVING off Pumpkin Cakes,

You guys know…there’s no giving up my pancakes on Sunday!

LUNCH
1. Sandwiches are generally considered a “lunch food.” If you had to choose between a grilled cheese and a peanut butter and jelly, which would you pick?

Peanut Butter & Jelly!!
…preferably with a little BBQ tofu thrown in there! 😉

2. You can only put four ingredients in your salad (not including greens); what do you throw in the mix? Additionally, which greens and dressing do you pick?

Since I missed the farmer’s market last weekend, my produce stash has been getting pretty low, but I whipped up a salad yesterday that was simple, delicious, and coincidentally only had 4 ingredients:

Golden beets, cucumber, pickled peppers, and hemp seeds!

On a bed of mixed baby greens (spinach is my favorite, but I like to mix it up) and drizzled with a bit of plain balsamic vinegar…the tanginess mixed with the sweet of the beets and peppers was AMAZING!

3. One food you can’t live without at lunch?

I’m really not a creature of habit, but I’ll admit I get into “food fascinations” quite easily…

Over the past FOUR days I’ve eaten a different variation of the same thing…

Chickpea Tuna Melts!
*Recipe coming soon*

DINNER
1. It’s the end of the day. You’re tired, hungry, and your fridge is empty. If fast food (from a chain) is your only option, where do you go and what do you order?

2. TV/computer on or off while you’re eating?

Computer…on…always…I’m actually just finishing up my lunch now! 😉

3. The one food you eat most often at dinner?

Again, not really a creature of habit, but I do pack a lot of salads for work…quick and easy, but NEVER the same!

DESSERT
1. Choose between these two American desserts: cheesecake or apple pie?

Cheesecake…sorry, never really been a big fan of apple pie…though apple COOKIES are a completely different subject entirely!

2. Choose between these two foreign desserts: tiramisu (Italy) or flan (Spain)?

Ugh, I HATE flan…all it is is sugar and eggs…basically the Spanish version of a chess pie…you can keep it…but I’ll take that Tiramisu off your hands! 😉

3. Ice cream: cone or cup?